Tender Moon
by amaroa
Summary: What if someone from Kakashi's past held the key to not only his future but to the future and existence of Konoha itself? Kakashi/OC with hints of Naru/Sasu, and Jira/Tsu. I promise she won't be a mary-sue if I can help it.


_Author's note: I'm back but this time it's with a heterosexual couple! I still don't own Naruto or anybody else for that matter, they belong to the amazing Kishimoto-sama. I DO own Yuzuki and Kira along with the plot, other smaller characters, and some other ideas that will come in later though. This fic seems to INSIST that I write long chapters so I hope that makes you readers happy._

**Things to know before reading  
Character ages: **_  
_**Kakashi-30(I heard he's 28 in the anime/manga)  
Yuzuki-Almost 28(Her b-day is gonna be in the fic)  
The Rookie 9-19(Idk how many of them will actually be in here)**

**Character ranks:  
Rookie 9: Jounin (recently promoted)  
Yuzuki:"Jounin"(insert evil laughter because of the quotation marks)**

**Setting/Time:  
It's kind of an AU in that Sasuke is back; I had to fiddle with the time-frame a little so everything happened a little earlier than it did in the canon, and some other things that I can't tell you without ruining the story are going on.**

Also thanks to my beta thatrandomkid. It took her a while but she did it.

_**Now on with the fic!**_

* * *

"Stupid mist-nin," a black haired woman growled quietly. She was crouched in the upper branches of a tree watching a group of shinobi sitting around a campfire.

"I can't wait to catch up to those brats," one of the mist-nin said while pounding his fist on the ground.

"We'll get our revenge soon enough; no one makes fools out of 'The Fog'," the mist-nin in charge promised in a low and deadly tone.

"Brats? Who the hell are they talking about Kira?" the woman whispered, seemingly to herself. Suddenly a little black fox appeared on the branch with her.

"I'm not sure, they might be following a group of leaf-nin; though I doubt they'd be interested in a bunch of kids and an old pervert" the fox replied.

"Leaf-nin? Where are they camped?" the woman asked urgently. The fox just turned and jumped to the next tree, pausing to look back at the woman. She followed the fox to a clearing a little closer to the mist-nin than she was comfortable with. Sitting quietly around a small fire were four leaf-nin. Normally, the woman would ignore them, but one of the shinobi's chakra was familiar.

"Who is it Kira?" she asked the fox sitting on the branch above her.

"Do I have to do everything for you Yuzuki?" the fox growled in annoyance while examining one of her claws. Taking the hint the woman, Yuzuki, moved closer to the shinobi; making sure her chakra was completely masked. She nearly gasped when she saw Hatake Kakashi, the Copy-nin, sitting quietly reading his Icha Icha book. More surprising were his companions; Uzumaki Naruto, the Kyubbi-vessel, Uchiha Sasuke, recently reinstated as a loyal leaf-nin, and Haruno Sakura, the Fifth Hokage's apprentice. Before she could go back into the trees Naruto started to talk.

"What'cha think happened to those mist-nin that attacked us?" he asked with a mischievous smile.

"They're probably still where we left them," Sasuke replied while staring intently at the kunai he was cleaning.

"Try again Sasu-chan," Kakashi teased in a condescending tone. Before anyone could blink, Sasuke was holding the kunai to Kakashi's throat.

"Don't call me that!" he growled, sharingan spinning wildly.

"Tsk. Tsk. Sasuke, you need to control your temper," Kakashi called from the other side of the fire as the clone disappeared.

"What did you mean by try again Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked, obviously trying to change the subject so Sasuke could calm down.

"Those mist-nin are following us and they don't seem very happy about being tied to that tree naked," Kakashi replied as he sat and started to read his book again. Yuzuki had to muffle her laughter at this information.

"Well, what are we going to do about them?" Sakura asked in impatience.

"Nothing. Unless they attack us again we ignore them and finish the mission we were hired for," Sasuke snarled; angry that Kakashi noticed the mist-nin and he didn't.

"Exactly, now get some sleep. I'll take first watch," Kakashi ordered as he opened his book. The others got into their sleeping rolls while Kakashi checked the perimeter. He paused on a bush that suddenly shook before sitting back and reading.

Up in the trees Yuzuki was panting as she leaned against a tree trunk. "That was close," Kira stated in a bored tone.

"No shit Sherlock. Those idiot mist-nin are definitely following them. I guess they've never heard of Kohona's Team 7 before," Yuzuki managed between breaths as she calmed her racing heart.

"Team 7? That rag-tag bunch of _miscreants _is Team 7?!" Kira growled in shock.

"Yeah. Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. I wonder what kind of mission they're on for the Hokage to send them of all people." Yuzuki thought aloud.

"An important one, which means we'll have to watch them as well. For now you need to rest; my instincts are screaming that tomorrow is going to be an interesting day," Kira warned while curling up on Yuzuki's lap as they fell asleep.

* * *

Just before dawn Yuzuki awoke to the sounds of Naruto and Sasuke yelling. "What the," she mumbled while watching the two argue about whose turn it was to cook breakfast. They got in each other's faces till there was barely any room between them.

"And I thought Tsunade and Jiraya had issues," Kira mumbled from her perch on Yuzuki's right shoulder.

"What are you talking about?" Yuzuki hissed at the mention of the remaining sannin.

"Isn't it obvious? Those two totally have the hots for each other, just like Tsunade and Jiraya," the fox explained with a bored yawn.

"What do you know about anyone having 'the hots' for someone?" Yuzuki snapped in annoyance.

"More than you think_,_" Kira called as she jumped onto the branch beside Yuzuki.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yuzuki snarled.

"Just because I'm a fox-demon doesn't mean I don't have experiences in that area," Kira taunted as she showed Yuzuki some highly explicit images and flashed a satisfied smirk; which is very difficult for a fox.

"Why you little..." Yuzuki started only to be cut off by Kakashi's bored voice.

"If you two are done flirting, I'd like to eat sometime this century." Both boys blushed but quickly hid it as they began to cook breakfast. Yuzuki's mouth was hanging open while Kira looked smug.

"See even the oblivious pervert noticed," Kira commented with yet another smirk.

"I hate you right now, you know that?" Yuzuki snapped from between clenched teeth.

"Yes I do, but you'll love me after I tell you what our little friends, the mist-nin, are planning," Kira replied.

"Tell me then," Yuzuki sighed after a few minutes of silence.

"An ambush. They plan on stealing whatever Team 7 picks up and then torturing them, starting with Pinky over there," Kira said with a meaningful nod towards Sakura.

"Oh they do huh?" Yuzuki asked with a deadly smile.

* * *

Team 7 was leaving the small village that had been home to Jiraya's mother before she went to Konoha.

"I wonder what's in the box," Sakura stated while walking behind Kakashi.

"Probably something perverted knowing Pervy-sage," Naruto answered while readjusting his pack so the box wasn't jabbing him in the shoulder.

"A pervert he may be, but he's still one of the legendary sannin," Sasuke pointed out in his usual monotone. Suddenly, there were kunai and shruiken flying through the air around them. Before any of them could react the mist-nin had them surrounded.

"Well look who it is," the leader said in a sickly sweet voice.

"A bunch of scrawny brats," one of the others snarled.

"We weren't so scrawny when we kicked your asses earlier; Now were we?" Naruto taunted while palming a kunai that they couldn't see.

"Shut it Brat!" snapped the leader.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you to respect your betters?" someone with an icy, yet feminine voice called from the shadows.

"Who said that?!" the leader shouted as all of the nin looked around nervously.

"Your worst nightmare, Oki," she growled in his ear before slitting his throat.

Team 7 watched in frozen shock as the black haired woman spun, stabbed, blocked, and just generally kicked the asses of the remaining mist-nin as they attacked her. After all of them were on the ground either dead, wounded to the point of being paralyzed, or unconscious; she turned to Team 7. She was in her late twenties and about 5'6" with midnight black hair pulled back in a bun. She had the build of a seasoned kunoichi and the black uniform of an ANBU without the mask. Her high cheekbones, full lips, and long eyelashes gave her an exotic look. The most shocking thing about her though, was her eyes. They were a brilliant amethyst with slit pupils like a fox. All of them tensed as she took a step toward them. Seeing their tension she raised her hands in a sign of peace.

"Take the box to Jiraya and tell him Moon says hi," the woman said with a smile and a wink as she and the mist-nin disappeared.

As soon as the smoke cleared Naruto's mouth fell open, but before he could say anything Sakura asked," What the hell just happened?"

"I have no idea," Kakashi replied while taking a wary step forward. Something about that woman, Moon, looked familiar.

"Well do you think we should trust her? I mean she did know about the box and who we're taking it to," Sakura pointed out in a practical tone.

"I wouldn't call it trusting her...more like believing she means us no harm," Kakashi replied while walking forward some more.

* * *

In a clearing just outside Konoha a little after sunset Team 7 met up with Jiraya. "Here's your box Pervy-Sage," Naruto said cheerfully while handing Jiraya the small box.

"Don't call me that," he grumbled while turning towards his pack.

"Did you run into any trouble?" he asked while putting the box in a safe part of his pack.

"Not much. There was a group of rogue mist-nin but we took care of them and they ran into a little trouble when we were on our way back," Kakashi answered in his bored monotone.

"Took care of them? The only group of mist-nin to go rogue recently were "The Fog." They were the gate keepers of the village and said to be the cruelest missing-nin out there!" Jiraya exclaimed in shock.

"Wow and that chick took them on by herself," Naruto whispered in awe.

"What chick?" Jiraya asked turning on Naruto.

"Some chick with black hair and purple eyes. She said to tell you Moon says hi; though I have no idea why a woman would want to say hi to you," Naruto explained while rubbing his neck nervously and leaning away from the upset toad-sage. "You ran into Moon?" Jiraya asked in shock.

"If that's her name then yeah," Naruto squeaked out.

"Was she the trouble the mist-nin ran into?" Jiraya asked, sounding urgent.

"Yeah and she totally kicked ass too! I mean she took 'em all on by herself and came out without a scratch!" Naruto explained with the enthusiasm of a seven year old.

"Get a hold of yourself, Dobe, you're a jounin for Kami's sake," Sasuke growled while Jiraya turned back to his pack.

"Exactly what color were her eyes again?" Jiraya asked suddenly, spinning back around to face them.

"Amethyst, with slit pupils like a cat," Sakura answered quickly and clinically.

"Or a fox," Jiraya mumbled with a smile on his face.

"Jiraya-sama?" Sakura asked in concern because of the sannin's odd behavior.

"I'm fine Sakura. All of you go and turn in your reports, but leave Moon out of them. I'll talk to Tsunade," he said while picking up his pack. Before any of them could respond he was already gone.

"What the hell is going on with everyone?" Sakura mumbled.

* * *

"You're sure she said Moon?" Tsunade asked in disbelief.

"Positive. Besides, who else do we know that could take down twelve mist-nin single-handed?" Jiraya fired back.

"I _know_ that but why would she want to say hi to _you_? And why didn't she attack Sasuke, no one knows he's been taken out of the bingo book yet, so why?" Tsunade pondered aloud while pouring some sake.

"I don't understand it either," Jiraya sighed tiredly while taking a sip of sake.

"Then how about I explain it to you?" a soft feminine voice asked from the window. Both Tsunade and Jiraya jump in surprise, causing Jiraya to choke on his sake.

"Easy there Pervy-Sage, I didn't mean to scare you," the woman teased as she patted the coughing sannin's back.

"Don't call me that," he coughed.

"Who are you?" Tsunade asked, her chakra gathering.

"I'm hurt Baa-chan. I know it's been twenty years, but you don't remember me even a little?" she questioned right back in a false hurt tone.

"Don't call me that you little..." she began but stopped as she actually looked at the woman. Twenty years has changed her but some things stayed the same, like the midnight black hair pulled back in a bun, regal cheekbones, full pouting lips, and eyes the same shocking blue as Naruto's.

"But you're dead," Tsunade whispered.

"No Baa-chan. I'm not," she corrected just as quietly. Jiraya seemed to realize who's standing beside him still patting his back.

"_You're _Blood Moon?" Jiraya asked in shock.

"To most people, yeah," Moon answered with a shrug of her shoulders. Tsunade collapsed into her chair and stared at Moon for a few minutes.

"How...?" she began, only to struggle with what to ask first.

"Well," Moon began as she sat in one of the meeting chairs and motioned for Jiraya to do the same.

"Okay, this whole thing started the day before Kyubbi attacked. Dad had no idea what was going on when my eyes started bouncing from blue to amethyst, and Mom was on bed-rest so he didn't want to worry her. He called for the Third who had a look at me and realized what was going on. I don't know if anyone ever told you but I'm a jinkuriki and my demon was fighting for control of my body," at this Moon paused and Tsunade gasped.

"My spirit was fighting her but no one knew if I was strong enough. So the Third went and talked with Mom while Dad and I waited in his study. To make a long story short the Third sent me into exile for both the protection of the village and myself. He told me to hunt the missing-nin and showed me everything I needed to know about collecting bounties and how to get money so I could survive. He said my exile would be over when Jiraya sent for a box from his mother's home village. He said I'd know it was that box because it would be in the care of trusted and familiar shinobi. Dad didn't like it but he couldn't overrule both my mother and the Third so he gave me some scrolls and maps I could use. I left knowing that I might never come back. I was still close when Kyubbi attacked and I got to the battle just as Kyubbi was being sealed inside Naruto. I ran out and picked up Naruto to protect him from the rain just as the Third arrived. He promised me he'd take care of Naruto and told me about Mom having died earlier that day. I went into exile just as I was supposed to, and did what I had been told to do. I made a couple captures but no one would believe an eight year old was a bounty hunter so I had to use a henge to collect the bounties till I got older. I went by Moon so no one would know it was me or find out about my connection to Konoha. You already know how 'blood' got added to that because that is one of the few stories that's actually true," Moon explained quietly as Tsunade's gaze turned to one of pity.

"Don't look at me like that Baa-chan," Moon growled softly.

"Like what?" Tsunade asked, slightly confused.

"With pity. I don't want or need pity, I know my life has been hard but I've survived and know that I wouldn't be me if it hadn't," Moon said with a shrug.

"But you shouldn't have had that hard of a life," Tsunade sighed.

"If you want to make up for the past twenty years then give me an easier job. Don't put me back in ANBU, or have me teaching at the academy. Give me a team or something that lets me stay near the village and start over but doesn't pin me down," she suggested with pleading eyes.

"Alright I'll see what I can do, for now you need to rest. I don't know what shape your family compound is in but it's yours to do what you want with," Tsunade stated after a few minutes.

"If you're starting over with your life before exile than we better stop calling you Moon, right Yuzuki-chan?" Jiraya teased with a wink. Yuzuki just smiled as she walked to the window.

"Yuzuki..."Tsunade began only to freeze with apprehension.

"I already know Baa-chan. I learned a lot of Konoha's and my families secrets over the past twenty years," Yuzuki said with a meaningful glance at both Tsunade and Jiraya then at the portrait of the Fourth, before jumping onto a nearby rooftop.

* * *

Yuzuki and Kira were standing in front of the gates to Yuzuki's childhood home on the outskirts of the village. "Are we going to stand here all night or are we going in?" the fox asked impatiently.

"Sorry I'm just a little nervous. I haven't been here in two decades, Kira," Yuzuki whispered quietly.

"I know that but standing here isn't going to help any. I know all of the memories you have of your parents are going to make this difficult but you need to remember that we can always stay somewhere else. You have to go inside at least once Yuzuki or you'll never be able to move on," Kira soothed in a soft voice.

"Alright, alright; don't go all philosophical on me Kirs," Yuzuki teased as she pushed the gates open. Inside was a large courtyard with small out-buildings and a covered walkway leading to the front entrance of the main-house. Yuzuki slowly walked towards the front door and gently opened it. Instead of the dust, disrepair, and stale smell she was expecting, Yuzuki found everything in perfect condition and the fresh scent of citrus.

"Look at this 'zuki," Kira said around a piece of paper she found on the counter in the kitchen. Yuzuki took it and read the familiar scrawl.

**_"I don't know if you're ever coming back or if you'll want to stay here. I just thought you'd want someone to take care of the place while you're away;  
but don't go getting all emotional and girlie on me if you do come back and read this."_**

There wasn't a signature, only a small sketch of a kunai, but Yuzuki didn't need one to know who wrote the letter. "You're smiling like a love-struck teenager, Baka," Kira pointed out. Yuzuki just glared at her and started to walk down the hall. After walking through the entire house Yuzuki sat in the kitchen with a content sigh.

"Does this mean we'll be staying here?" Kira asked hopefully, she always liked this house best of all the places she'd stayed.

"I guess it does," Yuzuki answered absently while looking out one of the windows across the open land that made this compound so different from others.

"Great, let's pick a new room! Your old one is too small and secluded," Kira suggested happily while walking toward the hallway.

"You've already picked one haven't you?" Yuzuki teased with a small smile. Kira's only response was a foxy grin.

* * *

Wow that was longer than I thought it was gonna be! I think my hands are going to fall off from all the typing. Why don't you lovely readers take pity on a poor author and leave a review, I'm sure it'd make my wrists feel better. ;D


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